tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post5883296300626461371..comments2024-03-26T03:20:19.840-04:00Comments on For Some Value of "Magic": Conflict of InterestStevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15732819755000554717noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post-17293337494621297312011-09-11T01:39:51.390-04:002011-09-11T01:39:51.390-04:00@Alex, @Pomke: My position as Board Chairman would...@Alex, @Pomke: My position as Board Chairman would possibly give me access to internal details of competing conferences, for example. How likely is it that my competitors woud want to share information with a Board that I lead? So the Foundation might suffer that way too.<br /><br />@Nick: there's been no suggestion that PyCon will require my professional assistance. and I seriously doubt that the PSF will be letting go of its management any time soon. But it's not just a matter of votes, and I am unwilling to subject the PSF to any kind of "Chinese Wall" just to isolate me from competitive information.<br /><br />@Jesse: I suspect you are right. I certainly haven't found any ethically satisfactory way to combine the two roles.Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15732819755000554717noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post-50142500332986940022011-09-07T06:18:57.615-04:002011-09-07T06:18:57.615-04:00Steve; This is a hard problem - on one hand, I fee...Steve; This is a hard problem - on one hand, I feel that there should be no reason why you can not, as your business entity, hold Python conferences. In fact, I would encourage it, as I think that conferences like the ones you may run/host/produce and those like pycodeconf fill a niche that PyCon does not.<br /><br />In fact, stepping in and helping produce smaller regional conferences could really help those conferences "grow up" - some get into the running-a-con business without realizing how taxing, how expensive and how troublesome it can be. Having someone as a resource to help produce these conferences - even at a fee, or a profit, would probably be good thing.<br /><br />That said - on the other hand - I don't envy your position. You're chairman of the board, and we both know that you carry the weight of that role with you by name association, and so any such effort that you might undergo would have an implicit association with that role. People find it very hard to disambiguate "Steve, working man and conference running guy" with "Steve, chairman of the board". So if you run a Python conference, then yes - it could very well mean that people would see it as the chairman, running a business that directly runs counter to the financial interests of the PSF.<br /><br />Therein lies the rub - right now, PyCon is a huge financial interest to the the PSF. In fact, I would plainly state it is the *largest* financial interest to the foundation. The board's interest has to be focused on the health of that interest. That means it could be hard with you as chairman promoting "competing" conferences that your business underwrites. In a way - there is "no vote" on the board level that does affect/effect PyCon or the funds brought in by it to the foundation.<br /><br />But - and here's a big but - that doesn't mean foundation members can't run conferences that "compete" against it - in fact they should be *encouraged* to do so, for those conferences can fill niches that PyCon, given it's size and audience can not. Heck, I'm happy for every conference that pops up - it means it's one more flower to help fertilize and grow in the community, and the growth of the community is the goal.<br /><br />In essence, I don't see how you can do what you want in the board role you have. I want you to run python conferences - I don't want you to cut off your nose to spite your face, and I ultimately think that these smaller more focused conferences are of more value to the foundation and community than you - Steve - as chairman. If you were just a board member - I'd say "disclose it and move on" - it's no different than me being part of a closed source software shop built on Python, or others using their Python skills for their livelihood. <br /><br />But promoting conferences, getting sponsors, advertising "against PyCon" and then voting on the PyCon budget, knowing behind-the-curtain contracts, etc - that's a tough line to walk, and I don't think simple disclosure would cover you.Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07543015027323408421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post-84833305774641552882011-09-06T15:53:01.002-04:002011-09-06T15:53:01.002-04:00Resolving a conflict of interest is usually a matt...Resolving a conflict of interest is usually a matter of firstly declaring it as a conflict (which you are doing right here) and then abstaining from voting on touchy conflict of interest issues (such as selecting your own company to perform paid work for PSF)<br /><br />I don't think anyone begrudges you making some income from python on the side and I don't think that a new python related con is going to detract from the massive success which is pycon.<br /><br />One solution may be to donate a % of your con earnings to the PSF if that would assuage your <br />conscience but no one would expect that of you.<br /><br />- PomkePomkehttp://pangur.com.aunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post-26608983603308647142011-09-05T02:48:56.813-04:002011-09-05T02:48:56.813-04:00I'd say there's two main things to conside...I'd say there's two main things to consider:<br />- you'll have trouble helping out professionally with PyCon US itself as long as you're the PSF chair. You *might* be able to swing something from an in-kind sponsorship point of view, but it's probably safer to just steer clear entirely.<br />- for other Python conferences, where the PSF isn't as closely involved financially or from a decision making point of view, I'd say you're probably OK. However, it would probably be a good idea to recuse yourself from any board votes regarding PSF sponsorship of conferences where you're involved professionally (since that *wouldn't* look good from a CoI point of view).<br /><br />The other aspect would be a disclosure one - while you obviously can't do it on Twitter, when blogging about Python conferences, I'd suggest making it clear when you have a financial interest vs making note of them while wearing your 'Python community member' hat.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14824694805745746190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496482.post-48785277930294743672011-09-04T17:22:05.635-04:002011-09-04T17:22:05.635-04:00I think transparency is how you eliminate conflict...I think transparency is how you eliminate conflict of interest. Decide ahead of time what money will go to which stake holders (i.e. your company vs. the PSF) and publicize the details. I would worry more about a COI pertaining to your company being "selected" to host PyCon. But you can probably get around that by having the PSF solicit for proposals, and then winning (presumably by being the cheapest/best :-))Alex Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11612909047373617380noreply@blogger.com